


I Didn't Know I Needed You

by Aeiouna



Series: And Then There Were Four [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Human Kolivan (Voltron), Human Krolia (Voltron), Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 18:57:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17350748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeiouna/pseuds/Aeiouna





	I Didn't Know I Needed You

Keith woke up to the crying on instinct. It had been three weeks since Keitaro was brought home, and two since he himself was released and able to get home. He sat up, but he felt an arm on his right side push him back down onto the bed, and a body shift and get out of bed on his left.

"You need to rest, Firecracker," came a voice, "Shiro can take care of him."

"I got him, you stay here with Matt and sleep," came the other.

Keith smiled and snuggled back into the body that was still in bed with him while the one that got up kissed his temples.

He had the best Alphas in the known universe.

 _Alphas_.

It was very rare for an Omega to have to Alphas. All Omegas had an Alpha Theta — that was Keith's Moonstone, Shiro. They had been a mated pair for years. Introduced through a mutual friend who thought they'd be a great pair. Fortunately for both of them, he was absolutely correct. Keith and Shiro had hit it off from the start and only took six months to become mates.

What was rare and made Keith feel so, _so_ lucky was that he also had an Alpha Sigma — his Lemondrop, Matt. Funnily enough, Matt was the mutual friend that introduced Keith to Shiro. It was amazing how that worked. So Matt had been in their life from the beginning, but joined their little nest when Keith had finally, _finally_ decided he'd wanted a pup.

He refused to let just any Alpha Sigma into their nest to knock him up. He wanted Matt, and only Matt. Shiro was more than happy to oblige. It was more than just wanting to do this with someone they trusted. They both loved Matt, they both wanted Matt to be part of their family. And Matt deserved it.

And that's how they went from Keith-and-Shiro to Keith-Shiro-and-Matt. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

Keith looked up again when he heard the door open and content cooing. "Aww, Lemondrop was right, you had it."

"Told you," Shiro smiled, rocking the infant. Keitaro was the perfect mix of his three daddies: Shiro's amazing eye shape but violet in color just like Keith. Matt's gorgeous honey blonde hair. Shiro's jawline, waif thin (but healthy) and short like Keith. Matt's complexion.

"Hey little love," Keith cooed. He was a little jealous. He grew up with his parents, sure. But just his mom — the Omega, and his dad — the Alpha Theta. He didn't know who the Alpha Sigma was that helped sire him, though he'd always wanted to know.

His mom told him they'd kept in touch his entire life, but unlike Matt, he didn't feel comfortable settling down when he still had his duty as an Alpha Sigma to uphold.

He sighed.

"What's wrong, Firecracker?" Matt whispered.

"I wish I grew up knowing my Alpha Sigma parent," Keith sighed, "I'm jealous Keitaro gets to know all three of his daddies."

Matt wrapped his arms around Keith and sighed. "That must be rough, not knowing."

"You know yours?" Keith asked, "Lucky."

"Well, not in the way Keitaro is going to know me," Matt bites his lower lip, "Because Mitch never bonded with my parents. However, he was and still is a strong presence in our lives and my mom and dad were honest when Katie or I asked who he was."

Keith nodded. "Still, I'm glad you got to know him." He was jealous of Matt, yeah, but it wasn't Matt's fault that Keith didn't know, and it wasn't like Matt was bringing it up to brag. Keith had asked, Matt was answering honestly. So he bottled up his anger.

He shouldn't even be angry, really. The majority of the children born from these Sigma/Theta/Omega triads aren't going to know the Sigma that sired them. Matt and Keitaro were the _exception_ , not the rule.

Shiro is quiet through all of this, but he sets Keitaro in the bassinet they keep in the room in case he won't sleep in his own, and joins in the hugfest with his partners. "I wish there was something we could do to help, Firecracker." He knows there is, but he doesn't know if would lead to the answers they want.

But he was at least willing to try.

* * *

Shiro tapped the pen in his hand on the notebook in front of him as the phone rang in his ear. Keitaro was strapped to his chest in the carrier. (Matt was working — he still upheld his own duties as an Alpha Sigma — and Keith was out running errands.) So, with the rare opportunity of having the house to himself presented to Shiro, he's making a few phone calls, get a head start on their search before Matt got home.

He smiled when Krolia's voice interrupted all the ringing. "Shiro, dear, how are you?"

"I'm alright, Krolia," Shiro chuckled, "Got the house to myself right now. Well, as to myself as I can with Keitaro here."

"Aww tell Keitaro that Grandma says hi!" she cooed.

Shiro chuckled again, "I will. But, there's actually a reason that I'm calling. Do you know the Sigma that helped you and your husband when you conceived Keith?"

"Oh, you mean Kolivan," Krolia smiled, "Yeah, of course! We send him messages all the time, have since Keith was a baby. Last one was a few months ago, when Keitaro was born. Why do you ask?"

"Keith wants to meet him," Shiro said quietly, "He's jealous of Keitaro being able to know Matt."

"Oh," Krolia frowned. She knew this day was coming now. Keith had never brought it up before, because he had always just assumed the Sigma was never in the life. Until he'd called and told them he and Shiro had bonded with Matt.

It made her heart ache. She and her husband were bonded to Kolivan, which is why he kept in touch about Keith, but he didn't live with them the way Matt did, not yet anyway. Not until he retired, he told them.

They said they understood.

But it still hurt.

"Krolia?" Shiro brought her back to reality.

"Sorry, Shiro," she sighed, "I just... I was waiting for this day to come. You see, Kolivan knew he still had his destiny as an Alpha Sigma, so he still upholds it. We understand, but he actually travels around the country siring children. He said he couldn't settle down until he retired and—" she's cut off by a knock on the door. "I'll be right back, Shiro."

She went to the door, and when she opened it emotion hit her like a ton of bricks. "Kolivan."

"I'm finally home," he smiled with a gentle kiss to Krolia's lips. "Where is our darling third mate?" he asked as he steps into the house. "I've missed him as well."

"He's at work, but he'll be so very happy to see you," Krolia smiled, "And Keith will be thrilled to meet you."

"I'm excited to meet him as well," Kolivan takes a seat on the couch, "He's the only pup I've ever cared about."

Krolia smiled, but then remembers she has Shiro on hold. "I'll be right back." She gets back to her phone. "Hey Shiro?"

"Yeah, Krolia?"

"Come over tonight. Bring everyone. Matt, the baby. Bring your whole little family."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to wear the carrier?" Matt asked Keith as they walked up the driveway to his parents' door.

"No, I've been gone all day," Keith pouted, "I just want some quality time with our baby."

"Okay, okay," Matt kissed his forehead. "I love you, you know that right?"

"I do. Love you too," Keith smiled as he fished out his keys. He had always kept a key to his parents' place, even after he moved out on his own. He grabbed their key from his ring and unlocked the door. He looked around. "Mom? Dad?"

But the voice that greeted him wasn't his mom's or his dad's. "Keith, my my look at you. All grown up and with a child of your own."

"May I ask who you are and how you know me?" Keith suddenly got protective, wrapping his arms around the carrier strapped to his chest, protecting Keitaro from this stranger.

"You mean your parents never told you?" the man asked, "Wow, I thought they did. My name is Kolivan, and I'm an Alpha Sigma."

That's all Keith needed to know. "You're the one that..."

Kolivan nodded. "And I've been waiting for the day I could retire from my siring duties and settle down with my family."

"F-family?" Keith loosened his grip on Keitaro but was still wary.

"Yes, family," Kolivan gave Keith a small smile, "My mates and our son."

Krolia and her husband walked in. Krolia spoke first. "We're sorry we never told you. We wanted Kolivan to tell you himself. But yes, he's the missing piece to the puzzle that was how we got you. He can tell you the rest."

Kolivan took over. "I was one of the most sought after Alpha Sigmas before my retirement. I actually had to travel the country, that's how wanted I was. It hurt, I wanted to stay local, but I couldn't. I told my mates to keep me updated on you. I've sired many children in my life, but I've only cared about one. My little love."

Keith asked Matt to take off the carrier and put it on Shiro. Matt obliged and when Keith was free he took off running into Kolivan's arms. "I've wanted to know who you were, what you were like, if you cared about me."

"Keith, my dear Keith," Kolivan stroked his hair, "I've always cared about you. I've kept tabs on you. You know how many pictures of you I have on my phone?"

"Really?" Keith wiped his eyes.

Kolivan grazed his thumb along Keith's tear stained cheeks. "Really, little love. You mean the world to me."

Keith hugged him again. "Oh! Come meet my mates!"

Kolivan grinned. "You have multiple mates? You really are an Omega that takes after his mother."

Keith laughed. "That's what everyone tells me."

"Krolia was the one who suggested we become a triad," Kolivan smiled, "Said it wouldn't be right that we were all so close but I wasn't bonded to them."

"That's kind of how it went down with us," Matt interjected, stepping forward and shaking Kolivan's hand, "I'm Matt by the way. But yeah, that's how it happened with Keith, Shiro, and I. Keith was the one who suggested I stay forever."

"So you're the Alpha Sigma," Kolivan let out a small chuckle, "Forgive me for saying this, but I expected your other partner to take that role."

Matt waved it off, "Everyone assumes Shiro is the Sigma when we're all together, we don't even worry about it anymore. But nah, he's the Theta."

"Matt introduced Shiro and I to each other," Keith added, "It was only fitting that he be the Sigma that helped us conceive when I was finally ready to have a child. In the process of having him in our lives, Shiro and I both fell in love. So when we asked him, we knew we didn't want it to be a one time thing. Now we're a happy little unit. And..."

Keith walked over to Shiro and took Keitaro out of the carrier. "Kolivan, I want you to meet my own little love. This is Keitaro Matthew Shirogane." He let Kolivan hold the baby.

"That's a beautiful name," Kolivan's face lit up once the baby was placed in his arms.

"I haven't seen that face on Kolivan since Keith was born," Krolia snuggled up to one of Kolivan's sides, waving her finger in front of her grandson's face.

Keitaro cooed as Kolivan looked up at Keith and his partners again. "He's perfect."

"That's what we think," Shiro finally spoke, stepping forward. "For a long time, I thought Keith didn't want a kid, so when he said he was ready I was shocked to say the least."

"I thought I wasn't ever going to be a good parent," Keith explained, "I never wanted to subject a child into being raised by me."

"Aww but you're a perfect parent, Firecracker," Shiro kissed a temple.

Matt kissed the other one. "The way you protectively held Keitaro close to you when Kolivan addressed you at first was the act of a good parent. You didn't know who he was, and your instinct was to keep your son safe. Keitaro was your priority."

Keith blushed. "You two are too good to me."

"You have some good mates," Kolivan smiled. "Hey, Keith."

"Yeah, Kolivan?"

"Let's hang out sometime, just you and me. I want to get to really know you. I want to get to know your mates as well, but you first."

"I'd... I'd like that," Keith smiled. "I can even bring Keitaro."

"Sounds like a plan, then," Kolivan hugged him, "I'm here forever now. I finally retired. Ready to settle down with my family."

Keith just hugged back.


End file.
